[mbynack]

the Fighter Pilots' Union know VERY well that Space and Space-based weaponry will pretty much make them obsolete. . .and worst still make all the remaining pilots "trash-haulers". . .

I seriously doubt it. It costs several thousand dollars a pound to put something in orbit. I can't imagine any scenario where space-based weapons would be more cost effective in a conventional war.

As far as your comment about all flag officers having an agenda I agree. Most of them have the agenda of protecting the US using the best strategy and equipment that they're aware of. I've never met an Air Force Flag officer that felt that Air Power could be used by itself to win a war and I've never met an Army Flag officer that felt that ground forces could win without airpower.

[Salgak]

How much does it cost, in logistics and ops costs, to take out a target in the conventional fashion. Weapons cost, logistics cost, operations and maintenance costs, etc.

It's a wash, with CURRENT launch costs. Given some research cash, we could drop on-orbit cost to a hundred bucks or less per pound, and THEN space-based weaponry really shines.

And I rellay admire your naivete about flag officers. Fighter pilots run the Air Force, that's why we have insufficient quantities of tankers, airlifters, bombers, etc.

Generals are all about winning the LAST war, not the NEXT one. . .